HMS OPOSSUM ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER CHRISTMAS 2015 1945-1958 Welcome to our Christmas Newsletter. Welcome to our Christmas Newsletter Our next reunion will be over the weekend Friday 13th Monday to 16th May 2016 at Tillington Hall Hotel in Stafford, organized as usual by the Isle of White Tours, tel. 01983-40611. In this issue:- Chairman’s Comments, treasurer’s Report, and Roll of Honor. Followed by The Corfu Incident, Sam Edgar’s Cats & Traps, Bill Thomas Smiles & Regrets, Chemical Weapons & Human Guinea Pigs, Shipmates Humour, The Christmas Quiz, Naval Personalities – Admiral Somerville, and Lieut. Comm. Alister Mars, The Merchant Sailors Friend – Samuel Plimsoll, Your editor’s HMS Hogue – My Third Commission, Tom Quirk’s [tongue in cheek Rindercella and the sugly isters, Our Chairman – LAew Mise r&r Vy eCrha rriusntmniansg aan pdu ba , HKaapmpiyka azned a tHtaecaklsth, Pyh Noetowg rYaepahrs t of A olul r Scarborough reunion [2015] plus answers to the Christmas Quiz. Chairman’s Comments Question, have you booked for next year’s reunion? Please do so now to swell our numbers – bring along relatives and friends – you know how good a time we have. With best wishes for the Christmas festivities and a brand New Year to look forward too. Sincerely Yours Aye Lewis Trinder President Rear Admiral D. J. Mackenzie Rtd [52] Chairman Lewis Trinder 108 NorthLane, Aldershot Hants GU12 4QT 01252-323861 [email protected] [45] Secretary/Editor Eddie Summerfold 28 Greymont Road, Limefield, Bury, Lancs. BL9 6PN 0161-764-8778 [email protected] [54] Treasurer Sam Edgar 21 Heath Lawns, Fareham, Hants PO15 5QB 1 01329-235732 [email protected] [57] Website hmsopossum.org.uk Treasurer’s Report Brought Forward:- £1,388.51 Income:- Subs £200, Raffle £210 and Donations £160 = £570 Expenditure:- £43.10 [FuneraRl ofl lR ooyf HWooondo]r Balance:- £1,915.41 John Cartwright John Eardly Wilmot Ronald Bradley Harry[Scouse]Barlow Albert Corless J W Powell Les Wood Bob Gray David Jarvis Ken Harris John Williams George Scott Harry Roach Reg Parker Pat Norman Fred Thompson George Fletcher Ivan C Haskell Fred[Mick]Bodel George H Richards Fred King John Davison Sid Pemberton George Curry Steven Hart George Brown Cliff Harthill Jack Marshall Arthur Pope Stewart A Porter Dick[Ginger]Bird Jackie Scholes Les Dimmock Joe Gornall John Bray Doug Banks Cornelious Canon Jim Tribe Harry Woolams Pete Maddox John Fraser Doug Goulding John Hardman Cyril Mason Bill Bolton Harry Catterson Mike Swayne Ken Phillips Jack Richards Bill Bovey Ron Hare George[Jan]Lobb William[Bill]Wilder Bill Price Edward[Ted]Longstaff Ken Slater Martin George Peter Lockwood Mike Cole Jim Payne Bert Rimmer Ron Blundy Roy Cope Ken Carson John W C Clark John Blair Willy Mitchell Tony Harris Charles Parker Alan Percival Alister Hunter Blair Ron Blundy Brian Healey Roy Wood John Jones 2 THE CORFU INCIDENT – October 1946 Fourteen months after the end of the Second World War, two Royal Naval destroyers mined and, heavily damaged - 44 killed, a similar number badly wounded. HMS Saumarez - so badly damaged, declared a write off HMS Volage - with her bows blown off, later repaired and converted to a type 15 Frigate The scene was between the island of Corfu and the coast of Albania. The first incident happened on 15th May 1946 when the cruisers Orion and Suberb, with destroyers, following a prior inspection and clearing the straight were fired upon from the Albanian coast. No hits registered and no casualties. The cruisers did not reply but informed the Admiralty. The British governm3ent protested to Albania that their ships were on peaceful legitimate duties with clearing up and making safe the seas around Corfu after the Second World War. No reply was received from Albania. The summer months slipped by then in October the British government requested a show of force from the Royal Navy, an attempt to gain political achievement, in short ‘gun boat diplomacy’ by sailing through the straights between Corfu and Albania to test that they could do so in international waters. Rarely has a government miscalculated the actions of another, Albania was not to be pushed around! On Tuesday 22nd October the small group of warships, the cruisers Mauritius and Leander together with the destroyers Saumarez and Volage left the port of Corfu, but instead of sailing South to join up with the rest of the Mediterranean Fleet for the annual regatta they deliberately sailed North under highly secret orders marked XCU to test the strength of Albania’s defiance, if the ships were fired on they must reply. All ships were closed up at action stations. Mauritius lead followed in line ahead by the destroyer Saumarez, speed ten knots, and two miles behind came Leander and Volage. Sadly the Royal Naval ships were in for a shock. Instead of using coastal guns to protect her coastline Albania had persuaded their friendly neighbour’s Yugoslavia who had mine layers and a huge stock of German mines left over after the war to do some sowing around her coast line; this was completed under cover of darkness, only nine days before Mauritius and Saumarez showed up. The Royal Navy had spent much time and effort in making sure all these waters were clear of mines – but unknown not this new field! At 2.53pm precisely a colossal explosion rocked Saumarez and she was brought to a standstill, smoke and flames billowing skywards. She would never sail under her own power again, and was later declared a write-off. Thirty-six men were killed, many more wounded. Volage was sent to take her in tow when she too was mined, her bows blown off! One officer and seven men killed, many wounded. On 12th November the Royal Navy sent in minesweepers and again made the waters safe, collecting two specimens from thirty laid, found to be of German manufacture and brand new, weighing 600lbs each. The heated debate though the international courts of Albania denying any involvement in damage to the ships of the Royal Navy and the irrefutable evidence to the contrary - lasted nearly three years. Britian wanted confirmation of Albania’s guilt, an apology and compensation. The international court eventually found Albania guilty and agreed a compensation figure of £843,497 to include £50,000 for pensions of bereaved families and those wounded, the rest for repairs to Volage and the loss of Saumarez, including scrap value. Albania’s compensation to Britian has never been paid. Hopes that this poor country would ever meet it’s debt has long been abandoned. In the words of the parliamentarian Mr Boyd-Carpenter, and others agreed with him, that Albania had literally got away with murder. The story mainly based on“ The Corfu Incident” by Eric Leggett – published by Seeley Services 1974 4 CATS and TRAPS by Sam Edgar A Gannet aircraft above HMS Eagle In the last Newsletter I described the nerve racking experience of the LOX plant fire on HMS Eagle. This is a much happier story of how I as a submariner came to be in an aircraft launched by steam catapult and landed back on the arrester wires. Like all hard working ships Eagle was a happy one. The Officers in the wardroom all got on well with each other, especially engineers and air crew and a particular bond developed between us into firm friendships. By October 1971, we had left the Far East and headed West towards the Persian Gulf to provide cover for Britain’s withdrawal from that region. The ship was operating off the island of Masira where there was an RAF base which provided a diversionary airfield necessary for flying operations. The Air department bosses kept thinking up various exercises to keep the squadrons busy. One exercise was downright dangerous and did not meet with air crew approval. This navigational exercise would involve a Bu5ccaneer bomber, a Sea Vixen fighter and a Gannet – with their different speeds, meeting at exactly the same time at some point deep in the desert. All three would arrive from different directions and cross over with a 100 feet vertical separation. The Buccaneer on top, the Vixen beneath and the Gannet below with only 100 feet above the desert. Low level flying without the required instrumentation is not recommended, there is a danger of becoming mesmerized and simply spearing in. The senior pilot of 849 Squadron [Gannets] volunteered and an American exchange officer felt he needed to be involved and would be navigator. The Gannet carries two observers who sit side by side in the middle of the aircraft. The navigator sits to port – while the starboard seat is occupied by the Airborne Early Warning [AEW] radar operator. As there was no AEW requirement on this flight the seat was vacant – other aircrew declined – this is were I came in. Having just come off the forenoon watch I had plenty of free time, when asked by a good friend, a Gannet pilot, if I would like to fly, I jumped at the chance. My senior engineer’s permission was obtained, who thought it was just a quick spin in the rescue helicopter, always airborne during flying operations. Next came the kitting out, with an immersion suit, borrowed flying suit, plus parachute then attending the flight briefing. I was shown how to open the hatch, seen in the photograph just in front of the roundel. A cheerful pilot told me not to worry if I got it wrong – nobody ever survives getting out, as the tail plane cuts them in half! The American officer was cheerful and helpful in making this flight experience enjoyable – he got me strapped in, then we were on the catapult.